Transforming education for rural health equity: Lessons from a rural and underserved health scholars program

Rural and underserved areas are in desperate need of improved access to healthcare services to enhance the well-being of patients. In an effort to increase students' healthcare access and exposure to the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals in this area, a specialized certificate program on the care of rural and underserved patients was created. The purpose of this article is to describe the design, implementation, and assessment of this program.

The Rural and Underserved Health Scholars Program (RUHSP) is offered to pharmacy and nursing students in the last three years of their professional program with 4 seminar courses and practice experiences in rural and underserved care. Students focus on challenges and opportunities in rural and underserved care, project development, health outcomes, leadership development, community service, and professional service. The culmination of the project is a community-based project the students develop in conjunction with a local agency.

The RUHSP has successfully recruited 4 cohorts of students, totaling 42 participants. RUHSP participants have designed and implemented 13 community-based research projects through the program. Preliminary pre/post survey results indicate the program impacted participants' knowledge, skills, abilities, confidence, readiness, and interest in rural/underserved settings. Participants completing the program indicated the program was highly valued and impactful.

Rural and underserved areas have a continued need for enhanced healthcare access and quality care; rural health training programs are one way to fill care gaps in these areas with confident, prepared, and passionate providers.